False Alarm

illustration by macrovector

If you have a security system for your home or business, you now have to register it and pay an annual fee of $35 if you live within Boulder city limits. If that alarm falsely triggers after June 1, you’ll be fined for each successive false alarm to the tune of $100 to $450, depending on how many false alarms you have. If you have five or more false alarms, your property is placed on a “Do Not Respond” list, which means the police will no longer investigate alarms at your property.

Photo by daniel jedzura

This is the city’s response to false alarms, which they say waste valuable police time. In the past two years, the city says, only 10 of the 4,915 alarm calls were legitimate. The new ordinance doesn’t affect fire, carbon monoxide or medical alarms. Visit www.bouldercolorado.gov/police/false-alarm-reduction-program for alarm tips and to register your system online.